Insulated rail-joint



W. P. THOMSON.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I3. 1919.

1,315,690. Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. P. THOMSON.

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1 jfi W 7- L 3 Jvwewtoz Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM PATON THOMSON, OF NEWYORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application fil ed June 13, 1918. Serial No. 239,783.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, WILLIA PATON THOMSON, citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulated Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in insulated rail joints wherein provision is made for adapting the joint for use with more than one section of rail, with a resultant economy in the use of insulation for the different adaptations. j

The invention, therefore, primarily has in View an insulated rail joint construction wherein the same splice bar sections and fiber parts are available for use with difi'erent weights of rail having the same fishing but base flanges of different thickness. In other words, the present invention proposes to meet the requirements and problem of employing the same parts of an insulated rail joint for difierent rails having identical fishing. spaces, thus effecting substantial economies in manufacturing and use and providing a material reduction in the num ber of fiber parts that would have to be carried by a railroad for replacement. For instance, according to the present invention, the same splice bar sections and the same fiber parts maybe employed in connecting two similar 100 pound rails, or two similar rails of greater weight having the same fishing but a thicker base, than said lighter rail, and compensation for the thinner base of the lighter rail is provided for by a novel base insulation feature involving the use of only an added fiber part for the lighter rails; and, furthermore the heavier and lighter of the above mentioned rails may be joined by substantially the same construction by proper disposition of the compensating fiber part. c j j Another important and practical feature of improvement taken into consideration by the present invention is that of providing and adequate interlock of the fiber, parts at thebase of the "joint to maintain the proper position and fit thereof under load conditlons.

Other practical objects willbe apparent to those familiar with the art as the full nature of the improvement is fully understood and the improvement consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter detailed, illustrated and claimed.

A preferredand practical embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the im proved insulated joint.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with one of the joint bars removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the insulation riser or filler plate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and shows the oppositely disposed locking flanges.

5 is a perspective view of the insulation for the base flanges of the rail, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 aud t}, and shows the keeper slots therein for receiving the locking flanges or tongues of the base insulation.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustratingthe splice bar and fiber parts applied to the heavier rail,

In carrying the present invention into eflect it is proposed to employ a splice bar section preferably of the continuous type,

the characteristic features of which are the upright member 1 fitting the fishing spaces of the rail, the foot member 2 overlying the base flange of the rail, and the rail supporting base member 3 integrally connected with the foot 2 and extending inwardly beneath the base of the rail. The particular shape of the splice bar section may be varied without in any way afi'ecting the present invention as long as the upright member and foot 1 and 2 are uniformly rolled to fit a predetermined fishing space, and sufficient space is provided between the foot 2 and the base member 3 to receive thereloetween rail base flanges of different thickness, as will occur in rails or different weight. 01? course in a above described, constitute an insulated rail complete joint a pair of the bars is employed, the same being arranged respectively at opposite sides of the rails and having associated therewith the usual joint bolts a fitted with suitable bolt insulation 5. To complete the joint each splice bar section also has combined therewith a fiber head piece 6 interposed between the head of the bar and the under side of the rail head and a base section of insulation 7 preferably in the form of a, cult placed over the rail flange and lying between the upper side of the rail flange and the foot 2 and between the upper side of the base member and the bottom of the rail, as plainly'illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawings. v

The joint parts, including the insulation,

joint available for use with rails of different weight and height but which have the same fishing, and in order to compensate for the difference in thickness between the rail bases of the different rails to which the joint is applicable, there is provided for the lighter and smaller rail to which the joint is adapted a fiber or insulation riser plate 8 which is of a thickness equal to the difference in thickness between the bases oi? the said difi'erent rails.

The fiber riser plate 8 in combination with the base insulation 7 constitutes the distinctive and practical improvement provided by the present invention. This riser plate for abutting rails of the same weight is coextensive in length and width with the rail joint and is adapted to be interposed between the rail bottoms and the upper sides of the bottom flanges of the base insulation 7, thus not only operating as a riser plate for the rail bases when used with the lighter rails but also adding materially to the strength and stability of the'base insulation itself.

A practical feature of improvement, included in the present invention is that of providing a proper and adequate interlock between the several parts constituting the base insulation for the joint in order that there may be no relative displacement of these parts through creeping under load con ditions and vibration. To effect the desired interlock the preferable expedient employed is that shown inthe drawings which consists in forming the fiber riser plate 8 upon its opposite side edges withthe centrally located locking tongues or projections 9 which are adapted to project into and interlock with the keeper slots or openings 10 that are formed in the folded edge or bight of the cufi pieces constituting the base insulation 7.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention through the use of an insulating unit for the base of the rail,

' which includes the opposite cufl' sections of diii'erent weight are spliced by the joint.

Thus it will be apparent that the improved insulation is also adaptable to the making of an insulated step joint, as will appear by readingFigs. 3 and 6 of the drawings as representing the two dissimilar rails of a step joint and the riser plate of insulation as being under the smaller rail.

Changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims or. sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. An insulated rail joint including, in combinationwith the rail, similar splice bar sectionshaving base members, head pieces of insulation, base insulation between the base members of the bar and the rail bottom, and a separate lnsulation riser plate also d sposed between said base members and the rail bottom.

2. An insulated rail jointincluding similar splice bar sections, similar head and base pieces of insulation, and a separate insulation riser plate interposed between the base pieces of insulation and the bottom of the rail.

3. An insulated rail joint includingsimilar splicebar sections, similar head and base pieces of insulation, and a separate insulation riser plate arranged beneath the rails and interlocked with the base pieces ofinsulation.

' 4. An insulated rail joint including.v simi lar splice bar. sections, similar head and base pieces of insulation, and a separate insulation riser plate arranged beneath the rails and separably interlocked with the base pieces of insulation.

5. An insulated rail joint. including similar splice bar sections having base members, similar head and base pieces of insulation, and an insulation riser plate arranged above the base members of the splice bar sections and having an interlocked engagement with the base sections of insulation.

6. An insulated rail joint including simi lar splice barv sections, head insulation for the splice bar sections, a base insulation in the form of cuffs, and an insulation riser plate interposed between the base insulation and the bottom of the rail.

7 An insulated rail joint including si1ni lar splice bar sections, head and base insulation "for the splice bar sections the base insulation being in the form of cufls provided in the bight With keeper slots, and an insulation riser plate interposed between the rail bottom and the base insulation and having 10 edge projections interlocking Within said keeper slots.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses. WILLIAM PATON THOMSON. Witnesses:

E. K. KnnsHNEn, C. A. DISBROW.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cent: each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O." 

